> Does anyone have a good idea for software that would enhance our Middle School> art program. Our lab director wants something with multi licenses. He thought> Adobe Illustrator was too expensive and "professional". We have Adobe photoshop> and Claris Paint programs but I feel we need something more advanced. Like a> Web design or inexpensive paint program.>> ann carolan>

Get Painter if you can afford it, or it's little sister, Dabbler 2 is
pretty good. It gives you a choice of paper textures, tools and you can
mix colors. Dabbler 2 is very affordable, but I really, really
recommend getting good Waccam Tablets (drawing tablets) if possible.
Just make sure that your software supports them. (Dabbler 2 does). Oh,
and do not invest in any until you try them out - my husband, a
professional illustrator, first bought the smallest tablet, but found
that the cursor zoomed across the screen and was too difficult to use -
the next step up (6x8?) feels like a natural media. (To see some of his
computer generated work, mostly on Painter, go to:http://www.tiac.net/users/dpwstory/ - his storyboards are his
specialty).

DO NOT GET ILLUSTRATOR for kids, as it is a bezier (spelling?) curve
program, and is pretty difficult to use at first. Our high school art
teacher bought it without fully understanding what it does, and regrets
that he did not get painter instead. Painter is challenging, but much
more natural to interact with. Dabbler 2 is great for kids, has an
interface that looks like a sketchbook, and has the capability to make
flip books. You can save different "sketchbooks" for different classes,
etc.

Does anyone have a good idea for software that would enhance our Middle School
art program. Our lab director wants something with multi licenses. He thought
Adobe Illustrator was too expensive and "professional". We have Adobe photoshop
and Claris Paint programs but I feel we need something more advanced. Like a
Web design or inexpensive paint program.
ann carolan

Get Painter if you can afford it, or it's little sister, Dabbler
2 is pretty good. It gives you a choice of paper textures, tools
and you can mix colors. Dabbler 2 is very affordable, but I really,
really recommend getting good Waccam Tablets (drawing tablets) if possible.
Just make sure that your software supports them. (Dabbler 2 does).
Oh, and do not invest in any until you try them out - my husband, a professional
illustrator, first bought the smallest tablet, but found that the cursor
zoomed across the screen and was too difficult to use - the next step up
(6x8?) feels like a natural media. (To see some of his computer generated
work, mostly on Painter, go to: http://www.tiac.net/users/dpwstory/
- his storyboards are his specialty).

DO NOT GET ILLUSTRATOR for kids, as it is a bezier (spelling?) curve
program, and is pretty difficult to use at first. Our high school
art teacher bought it without fully understanding what it does, and regrets
that he did not get painter instead. Painter is challenging, but
much more natural to interact with. Dabbler 2 is great for kids,
has an interface that looks like a sketchbook, and has the capability to
make flip books. You can save different "sketchbooks" for different
classes, etc.